Cons:

Saints Row 2 is your second chance to live the life of a gangster on the streets of fictional Stilwater. The comparisons to Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series are obvious, both being sandbox games where you're free to roam the streets of a sprawling urban environment, accruing fortunes through a wide array of misdeeds. Saints Row 2's approach is slightly different in that the game is not so much about succeeding as an independent criminal in modern society but more about claiming territory for your gang, the Third Street Saints. This results in a game that feels like its own entity, and less like a mindless carbon copy of GTA.

Story-wise, Saints Row 2 is a pastiche of gangster crime dramas like "Boyz n the Hood," though not quite as over the top as "Don't be a Menace." It carves up a city into factions run by gangs in distinctive outfits that'll remind you of "The Warriors." The Asian-themed Ronin, for example, wear yellow, drive yellow tuners and bikes, and wield samurai swords. The Rastafarian Sons of Samedi, on the other hand, are trafficking a new drug popular with the college kids called Loa Dust, smoked out of lightbulbs, because apparently pipes are expensive. Instead of trying to clean up the streets, you'll want to steal their supply and move in on their action, like any enterprising gang boss should.

Not Laugh Out Loud Funny...

These story missions are the heart and soul of Saints Row 2, and even though the ethnic and cultural stereotypes are used as heavy-handedly as one could imagine, the story remains entertaining and will keep you wanting to move it along. Don't expect anything on the same level as the gritty street drama of the Barksdale and Stanfield war from HBO's "The Wire," though. The story and humor here are barely Comedy Central-worthy, in case you were looking for a cross-media comparison.

Saints Row 2 is a funny game, if you're into lowbrow humor. You won't quite reach the level of hilarity here as found with Roman and Brucie, but the game is absolutely filled with puns and "sorta funny" bits, from the commercials on the radio to the names of the local business like the Sad Panda Cafe in Chinatown or Company of Gyros, a fine choice for Greek food.

Saints Row 2's story is your own make-believe gangster tale. You'll create a character using a robust toolset that allows you to build an avatar, male or female, with all sorts of options regarding body size, ethnicity, and mannerisms. If you want a slim Caucasian female who metes out street justice in skin-tight lycra pants or a prom dress, you can do that. If you want a grossly overweight thug in a pimp suit that more closely resembles a tent, you can do that too. We made characters that resembled GameSpy staffers, and were surprised by how well the likenesses came out.